Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Jude Law's nanny missing in Aruba?

(Okay, I know this post has nothing to do the title above but, besides creating some chaos on search engines, it might bring in a stranger or three. Now that you’re here, how about a little background on the situation in Iraq?)

It was 15 years ago today…


(April meets Saddam)

On July 25, 1990, Saddam Hussein entertained a guest at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie, who told the Iraqi dictator: “I have direct instructions from President Bush to improve our relations with Iraq. We have considerable sympathy for your quest for higher oil prices, the immediate cause of your confrontation with Kuwait.” Glaspie then asked, point blank: “Why are your troops massed so very close to Kuwait’s borders?”

“As you know, for years now I have made every effort to reach a settlement on our dispute with Kuwait,” replied Hussein, deploying his own rendition of U.S. spin. “There is to be a meeting in two days; I am prepared to give negotiations only this one more brief chance.”

(Did Ari Fleischer and Saddam Hussein share a speechwriter? On March 10, 2003, when discussing yet another unjust war waged by the strong on the weak, Fleischer told the press: “There is room for diplomacy here. Not much room and not much time.")


(Ari Fleischer)
 
Back at the Iraqi presidential palace, when asked by Glaspie what solutions would be acceptable,” Hussein was forthright: “If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab—our strategic goal in our war with Iran—we will make concessions. But, if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq [MZ: Hussein views Kuwait as part of Iraq] then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait to keep the whole of Iraq in the shape we wish it to be. What is the United States’ opinion on this?”
 
“We have no opinion on your Arab-Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait,” Glaspie answered. “Secretary [of State James] Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960’s that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America.”

Eight days later—15 years ago today—Iraq invaded Kuwait.

(Stay tuned for more historical context later this week...and maybe a Paris Hilton meets Brad Pitt headline.)

Posted on 08/02 at 04:44 AM
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